Means for utilizing the energy of liquids under pressure containing gases



W. H. KNISKERN MEANS FOR UTILIZING THE ENERGY 0F LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE CONTAINING GASES Filed Dec. 17, 1923 Jan. 3, 1928.

55; 5E 28.4mm

Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. KN ISKERN OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO. ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN CORPORATION, OF SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR UTILIZING THE ENERGY 0F LIQUIDS UNDER GASES.

rnnssnnn commute Application filed December 17, 1923. Serial No. 681,149;

This invention relates to means for utiliz-' ing the energy contained in liquids under pressure which hold gases, chiefly in solution. It is well known that, generally speaking, liquids will absorb or dissolve greater amounts of gases if the pressure is increased. The utilization of acurrent or jet of liquid discharged under pressure, for the operation of turbines or other machinery, is also quite common. I have found, however, that when the liquid thus discharged contains gases, the latter, as they are released from the liquid owing to the reduction of pressure, will tend to scatter or break up the liquid so that it will no longer form a substantially solid jet suitable for the eflicient dperation of a water wheel or-the like, but will be dif- 'fused as a spray having but little driving power. The object of this invention is to obtain a practically efficient jet even when the liquid contains gases which, with the constructions employed hitherto, would cause the liquid to assume the form of an inefficient .spray upon its release from the conduit through which such liquid is discharged.

The present improvement is of special utility in connection with the utilization of energy of liquid under pressure discharged from certain washing apparatus or scrubbers forming part of a synthetic ammonia plant, the general type described, for example, in the application of F. W. de Jahn, Serial No. 200,047, filed November 3, 1917, and the present invention will consequently be described with reference to such a plant.

This type of plant involves in one of the details of procedure the passing of a gas mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen (and associated impurities such as'CO G0, etc.) under a pressure of approximately 95 atmospheres through a water scrubber through which water is continuously forced b a pump. A pressure of about 95 atmosp eres prevails in such a scrubber and it has een proposed to utilize the water or liquor discharged from this scrubber by-projeeting it from a nozzle as a stream or jet against the buckets of a device such as a Pelton water wheel. It was found, however, that the efliciency result was obtainable from the water wheel thus operated.

The nozzle which is the subject of the present invention is designed to overcome the difilCllllllES hitherto experienced and to supply an eflicient means of securing an eifective Jet even though the water contains a large amount of dissolved gas.

A specific example of my invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of that portion of an ammonia plant for which my invention is primarily intended; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the improved nozzle and adjacent parts.

At 10 I have indicated a motor (generally an induction electric motor) on the shaft 11 which drives the pump 15. The pump 15 takes in water through a suitable inlet and forces such water at a pressure of about 95 atmospheres through a delivery pipe 16 into a water scrubber 17 from the outlet of which the water, together with the gases it has absorbed or dissolved, passes through a pipe 18 to the improved nozzle, designated as A in Fig. 1, and shown in detail in Fig. 2. The jet issuing from this nozzle is projected against a fluid motor, for instance a Pelton water wheel 19 mounted on the shaft 11. The energy in the liquid. discharged through the nozzle A, is thus utilized to rotate the shaft 11 in the same direction that it is driven by the motor 10, and thus a motor of relatively small power will suflice'for the operation of the pump.

The gases (chiefly carbon dioxidelwhich the liquid takes up under the heavy ressure' expanding and separating themselves from the liquid, the gases willbreak the liquid into a spray if the nozzle is of; the construc--- tion customarily employed'for' Pelton wheels operated bywater containing no gas. In this usual construct-ion,.the nozzle channel or bore is of short length and circular at the outlet. In my improved construction, the nozzle channel expands or flares toward the outlet, andvby this arrangement, I not only avoid the scattering or spraying efi'ect which the liberation of gas tends to produce in the liquid jet with consequent loss of ltl power, but I utilize, as a motive power, energy of the previously compressed dissolved gas as well as energy otthe water.

In Fig. 2. the nozzle. body is indicated at 20, said body having a passage contracted toward the outlet, in the usual manner. J separate nozzle portion 21 is fitted against the front end of the body 20, and with the outlet of said portion co-operatcs the needle 22, adjustable lengthwise, either by means of the customary handwheel, or through any well-known automatic mechanism such as indicated diagrammatically at 12 as controlled from the float valve mechanism 3 of the float chamber 14, so that the nozzle opening will be varied autoi'i'iatically in accordance. with the amount of waterto beremoved from. the scrubber 1,7. The front cud 23 of the nozzle portion 21 projects into a corresponding to cess provided in a flange 24- located at the rear end of the nozzle tip 25. The latter in the specific embodin'ient shown has a longitudinal passage 26 which widens gradually toward the discharge. end, the cm section of said passage. at its inner or receii mgend.

being the same asthc cross-section of the passage of the nozzle portion 21. at the discharge end of such portion. The passage 26 maybe given other configurations. but its exit orifice should always be largerthan the space through which the fluid leaves the nozzles between the nozzle portion 21 and'thc forward'end of the needle end of the nozzle tip 25 is cut-oft obliquely, as indicated at 25. thereby minin'iizingl the free space between the exitorifice ofthofllo zle and the blades or buckets of the water Wheel 19. It the size of the, nozzle-opening is properly designed there will be nonppre ciable tendency of the jet warm: eQa'nd the oblique extension 25 will not be nee ssary.

The parts 20, 21 and 25 may be an integral structure but, as shown, are held together. by means of a nut- 27 screwed on the nozzle body 20 and having a flange 28 to engage the flange 24, and a shoulder 29 opposed to a flange. at the. inner end 01 the nozzle portion 21. If desired, suitable packings (not shown) may be placed at the joints between the parts 20. 21.. 2!? and 27.

As the. mixtureoi -liquid and gas passes beyond the needle valve 22. the pressure upon the. liquid is: released and the dissolv cd gas is set; tree. As,this gas expands, 1ts energy is transferred to the liquid flowing through the nozzle tip channel 26 and thus the velocity of the fluid flowing through said channel is inereased. The size of the outlet of the nozzle tip is made such that the pres sure at that point will be substantially the same as that existing within the caslng ot the Pelton Wheel. VVh-en the mixture of water and gas leaves the nozzle tip it is therefore under practically no extra pressure, that is to say. there is no tendency i The outlet for more gas to escape from the water or for the gas already evolved to expand further.

jet of gas and water, the particles of which flow in substantially parallel paths. Such a solid jet is highly etiici-ent for the operation of'a Pelton water wheel or other motor actuated by a liquid jet. The new arrangement is also very efiicicnt in that the energy derived from the expansion of the dissolved gas is converted into energy of motion imparted to the mixture of water and gas. W

While it is desirable to have the opening at the outlet of the nozzle tip of such size as referred to above. that the will have expanded fully by the time itrcaches said outlet, yetr-esults better than those obtainable with the usual construction will be s-e cured even if said outlet opening is smaller.

as long as such outlet opening is substantial- "ly larger than the crosssectional area of the tree space bet ween the needle 22 and its seat On the other hand, in order to secure the best results. the forward opening of the. tip 25 should not be made too large but should be so din'iensioned that as nearly as possible.

the pressure at that point approximates thatprevailing in the P-elton wheel casing. Since themov-ement of the needle 22 renders it impossible to obtain permanency of conditions in this respectthe best practice is to design the size of the wide-end opening of 25 ac- ;cording to the average flow through the nozzle 21. r "It is desirable to make the nozzle 21 and needle 22 of tool steel or bronze so that it may withstand the chemical action of carbon dioxide and the chemical or mechanical aetion of other substances that may be con-' gas not readily soluble in the scrubbing liquid at ordinary pressures. to he'absorbed ll] said liquid, and means for recovering potential energy residing in the gas charged exit liquid from the scrubber, said last named means comprising a channel for said exit liquid, a nozzle connected to said channel, said nozzle being shaped to permit the escape Within the confines of the nozzle of a portion of the dissolved gas from the liquid without scattering the solid jet of liquid to any substantial degree. and a fluid motor a gas scrubber under high pressure to cause a r operated by the jet of liquid issuing from said nozzle;

9 in combination, means for operating a gas scrubber under high pressure to cause a gas not readily soluble in the scrubbing liquid at ordinary pressures to be absorbed in said liquid, and means for recovering potential energy residing in the gas charged liquid product of said scrubber, said last named means comprising a channel for said liquid, a nozzle connected to said channel, said nozzle first contracting from the size of said channel to a small throat and then gradually 15 expanding to form a substantially long nozzle tip having an outlet area substantially larger than that of said throat whereby the solidity of the liquid stream is preserved while gas is liberated from said stream Within the nozzle, and a fluid motor operated by the solid stream of liquid issuing from said nozzle tip. '0 a 3. In the art of high pressure gas scrubbing wherein a liquid becomes charged With a gas which at ordinary pressures is not readily soluble in said liquid, that improvement which consists in recovery of potential energy residing in the exhaust scrubbing liquid charged with the gas by reason of the high pressure of the scrubbing operation, by conducting the said liquid through a nozzle to a space of lower pressure and in the nozzle gradually releasing some of the gas contained in said liquid to preserve the solidity of the stream of said liquid as it issues from said nozzle, and finally discharging the said stream of liquid in a fluid motor to cause the operation thereof.

4:. In combination with a gas scrubber for causing absorption in a liquid under high pressure, of a gas which is not readily soluble in such liquid at ordinary pressures, means for delivering gas under high pressure to the scrubber, means for delivering the liquid scrubbing agent to the scrubber inlet, a nozzle receiving gas-charged pressure liquid from said scrubber and having a channel expanding toward the nozzle outlet, a motor operated by the jet issuing from said nozzle, a device for varying the flow through said nozzle, and a connection operatlve upon said device and sensitive to variations in the amount of liquid to be removed from the scrubber to vary the How through the nozzle in accordance with such variations. 1

5. In the art of high pressure gas scrubbing, wherein a liquid becomes charged with a gas which at ordinary pressures is not readily soluble in said liquid, that improvement which consists in the recovery of potential energy residing in the exhaust scrubbing liquid charged With'the gas by reason of the high pressure of the scrubbing operaation, by conducting the said liquid through a nozzle to a space of lower pressure and in said nozzle gradually releasing some of the gas contained in said liquid to preserve the solidity of the stream of said liquid as it issues from said nozzle and finally discharg-.

ing the said stream of liquid in a fluid motor to cause the operation thereof, all of the aforesaid operations being conducted under substantially constant temperature conditions. I

a 6. In combination with a gas scrubber for causing absorption in a liquid, under high pressure, of a gas which is not readily solublein such liquid at ordinary pressures,

means for delivering gas under high pressure to the scrubber, means for delivering the liquid scrubbing agent to the scrubber, a nozzle forreceiving gas-charged pressure liquid from said scrubber and having a channel expanding toward the nozzle outlet,

a motor operated by the jet issuing from said nozzle, and means for transmitting the resultant power of said motor to the means which cause delivery of the liquid scrubbing agent to the scrubber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y WALTER H. KNISKERN. 

